Pondering Montana Mule Deer Draw Hunts

[Hammsolo]

Hey All, My Brother and I put in for draw hunts in Montana each year. He’s a resident, and I’m a “come home to hunt guy.” We’ve put in for years with no luck. I was just reviewing the new regs. We’re looking for a chance to hunt mature deer, and have an adventure. We’re up for backpacking. Any opinions? Ideas? Thanks all and good luck in draw season!

 

[texwest44]

Honestly, for both you and him, I wouldn't burn so much time for a 200 muley hunt. They're out there, but it's mostly whitetail country. I took the plunge last season and tried a LE muley tag where I knew their numbers were low and, well, yeah, I'm not doing it again. Those aren't limited tags because the hunting is high quality, they're limited tags because there aren't very many mule deer on the landscape. That's kind of the rule, the further west in MT you go. In scrounging some FWP data, it looks like there's estimated to be 2-3 whitetails for every muley in the 200 units. I get the appeal of 270, but it's just not worth the wait n' burn if you're willing to do some driving to where there's larger muley herds.

If you're into adventure hunting, there's always unit 280. How do you feel about grizzly bears?

 

[mtmuley]

Honestly, for both you and him, I wouldn't burn so much time for a 200 muley hunt. They're out there, but it's mostly whitetail country. I took the plunge last season and tried a LE muley tag where I knew their numbers were low and, well, yeah, I'm not doing it again. Those aren't limited tags because the hunting is high quality, they're limited tags because there aren't very many mule deer on the landscape. That's kind of the rule, the further west in MT you go. In scrounging some FWP data, it looks like there's estimated to be 2-3 whitetails for every muley in the 200 units. I get the appeal of 270, but it's just not worth the wait n' burn if you're willing to do some driving to where there's larger muley herds.

If you're into adventure hunting, there's always unit 280. How do you feel about grizzly bears?

Which 200 unit did you draw? PM best maybe. mtmuley

 

[tjones]

Those aren't limited tags because the hunting is high quality, they're limited tags because there aren't very many mule deer on the landscape.

Which of the units the OP listed do you feel this applies to?

 

[Luis]

I live in the region 2 area. The biggest mule deer are not found in the forest, they get big eating alfalfa. I see those gnarly racks on private lands.

 

[Hammsolo]

Honestly, for both you and him, I wouldn't burn so much time for a 200 muley hunt. They're out there, but it's mostly whitetail country. I took the plunge last season and tried a LE muley tag where I knew their numbers were low and, well, yeah, I'm not doing it again. Those aren't limited tags because the hunting is high quality, they're limited tags because there aren't very many mule deer on the landscape. That's kind of the rule, the further west in MT you go. In scrounging some FWP data, it looks like there's estimated to be 2-3 whitetails for every muley in the 200 units. I get the appeal of 270, but it's just not worth the wait n' burn if you're willing to do some driving to where there's larger muley herds.

If you're into adventure hunting, there's always unit 280. How do you feel about grizzly bears?

They don’t bother me at all. I dream of the day we can hunt them.

Thanks for the info. We’ve hunted the Custer of course, and have pondered Broadus.

 

[PablitoPescador]

Man I wish we weren't talking about specific units on a public forum....

 

[mtmuley]

Man I wish we weren't talking about specific units on a public forum....

Me too. But a couple guys that posted don't know what they are talking about anyway. mtmuley

 

[Hammsolo]

Man I wish we weren't talking about specific units on a public forum....

Are you referencing me asking or someone telling? I was hoping for PM’s if anyone was willing to share. Should I have mentioned that? Is this like baseball, an unwritten rule?

 

[Deleted member 20812]

 

[Hammsolo]

View attachment 215958

Smile and wave boys… just smile and wave…

 

[Beignet]

Hadn’t heard of 270 before. Thanks for the hot tip, suckers!

 

[mtmuley]

Hadn’t heard of 270 before. Thanks for the hot tip, suckers!

I don't think sharing info about LE areas is that big of a deal. Except when someone you help out returns to elk hunt your spot. Hammsolo, if you beat the odds, pm me. mtmuley

 

[Hammsolo]

I don't think sharing info about LE areas is that big of a deal. Except when someone you help out returns to elk hunt your spot. Hammsolo, if you beat the odds, pm me. mtmuley

Thank yah sir. One of these particular hunts is truly winning the lottery. I want to move away from that one. I really want to apply for one that is more likely to draw, and still have a shot at a mature deer. I dream of 200 class deer, but that isn’t a goal.

What!?! Epiphany!!! Is that why all these units are in the 200’s!?! New strategy! I have to apply for 200 units everywhere for deer and 400’s for elk! This is going to get weird with other species…

 

[Luis]

Hadn’t heard of 270 before. Thanks for the hot tip, suckers!

A guy named Jack made the 270 real popular back in the 1960's and 70's. He was more into sheep hunting than mule deer.

 

[Beignet]

I don't think sharing info about LE areas is that big of a deal. Except when someone you help out returns to elk hunt your spot. Hammsolo, if you beat the odds, pm me. mtmuley

That’s actually a pretty good point.

My non-smartass and probably ill-informed assessment of some of those lesser known LE 200 units is that they’re more of a “local’s tag.” Lot of those spots are rugged and there aren’t deer around every corner. It’s folks that can get in there regularly, year-round, that might make the most of those tags.

 

[texwest44]

Look, no one said there's no muleys in region 2. No one said there are no good ones. But anyone who lives in the area, who is also honest, wouldn't recommend to an NR to burn years worth of hunting seasons trying to get into region 2 for muleys, especially on the north end of the region. It's not worth it, unless you're really dead set on that being your dream hunt. In which case, go nuts, no one here is saying don't follow your dreams if that's really what you want.

"There's big racks off in alfalfa fields" doesn't really make for a good reason to apply for a <10% chance of drawing, I think. Which is really the point I'm after here.

And I was explicitly told by FWP that west of the divide, those LE units for muleys are about low numbers, not quality deer hunting. If you don't like that assertion, take it up with them.

So I stand by my original statement, that it's not worth it for region 2, and it's pretty common for people's regions 1/2/3 LE muley hunts to turn into whitetail hunts.

Oh, and of course the irony isn't lost on me. There are a couple people here who regularly complain about the decline of region 2 muley hunting accusing me of not knowing what I'm talking about when making the recommendation against burning years worth of applications on region 2 muley hunting. I think maybe some of y'all just like argue on the internet, lol.

 

[mtmuley]

Look, no one said there's no muleys in region 2. No one said there are no good ones. But anyone who lives in the area, who is also honest, wouldn't recommend to an NR to burn years worth of hunting seasons trying to get into region 2 for muleys, especially on the north end of the region. It's not worth it, unless you're really dead set on that being your dream hunt. In which case, go nuts, no one here is saying don't follow your dreams if that's really what you want.

"There's big racks off in alfalfa fields" doesn't really make for a good reason to apply for a <10% chance of drawing, I think. Which is really the point I'm after here.

And I was explicitly told by FWP that west of the divide, those LE units for muleys are about low numbers, not quality deer hunting. If you don't like that assertion, take it up with them.

So I stand by my original statement, that it's not worth it for region 2, and it's pretty common for people's regions 1/2/3 LE muley hunts to turn into whitetail hunts.

Oh, and of course the irony isn't lost on me. There are a couple people here who regularly complain about the decline of region 2 muley hunting accusing me of not knowing what I'm talking about when making the recommendation against burning years worth of applications on region 2 muley hunting. I think maybe some of y'all just like argue on the internet, lol.

PM me the 200 unit you hunted. mtmuley

 

[mtmuley]

Hey texwest, looking forward to talking about R2 mule deer via pm. mtmuley

 

[texwest44]

PM sent, my man. Haven't seen you be so defensive about region 2 before. Maybe I should have recommended against the root and you'd be more agreeable.